


When Mimi Was There

by meganekkomeguca



Category: Flip Flappers (Anime)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Yuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-02
Updated: 2016-12-02
Packaged: 2018-09-03 18:43:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8725993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meganekkomeguca/pseuds/meganekkomeguca
Summary: After episode 9, Cocona and Papika are both scared and confused. Can they still rely on each other and take strength in their relationship?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to Ange for the encouragement and also for helping me basically block out the latter half of the fic. Rev up that suffering, fam.
> 
> Also I make no apologies for the meme title.

Cocona held Papika in her arms long after the other girl had exhausted herself from crying. Cocona stroked her hair, murmuring vague reassurances, trying to put her own worries about this "Mimi" out of her head. Papika needed her.

Papika's breathing calmed, grew soft and steady. Her desperate grip on Cocona relaxed, and she lay heavily against Cocona's chest, asleep. Cocona leaned back against the wall, settling in. "Papika..."

The other girl was warm against her, and Cocona wanted to pull her even closer, hold her tight and never let go. They'd been closer to death than ever before, and even now Yayaka could be-

She pushed the thought away. Too much. This was all getting to be too much, but what choice did she have now? She was in too deep. And the one thing she'd thought would stay constant was now slipping away from her.

Cocona tightened her grip on Papika, and Papika shifted in her sleep. Cocona brushed some hair out of Papika's face and trailed a finger around the outlines of one of the bandages on her cheek. All this pain, and so much of it for Cocona's sake. "Hey, Papika," she said softly. "I'm sorry. About how long it took me to understand your feelings and all the things I said to you before." Papika let out a soft sigh and snuggled against Cocona. "I won't let you go either, though. I've decided that- that I want to stay by your side."

"Mm... Love you, Mimi..." Papika mumbled.

Her hands dropped to her sides. Cocona stared at the boxes of junk, not seeing them, but needing something to look at that wasn't Papika. It was hard to breath; her throat seemed to be blocked. And her eyes stung- oh. Cocona raised a hand to brush away her tears but stopped halfway. It didn't really matter, did it.

Papika hummed in her sleep, wriggled a bit. "Nn..." She stirred and raised her head, tired blue eyes meeting Cocona's. "You're so soft."

"P-Papika..." Cocona swiped the back of her hand across her eyes.

"You're crying?" Papika sat up, straddling Cocona's waist and leaning in until their noses were nearly touching. "Don't cry." She brushed her thumb over the tear tracks on Cocona's cheek.

This was almost too much. Her face hot from the sudden closeness and the embarrassment from being caught crying, Cocona was too flustered to react when Papika closed the last inch between them.

"Don't cry," she murmured before pressing her lips to Cocona's.

Cocona whimpered against Papika's lips. "Papika..." She hugged Papika tight, her fingers digging into the other girl's shirt, anchoring herself. They kissed again, again. Cocona could feel her heart pounding in her chest, each beat drumming out "finally, finally." For the first time that she could remember, Cocona didn't feel empty.

They stopped to catch their breath, and Papika rested her forehead on Cocona's shoulder. Cocona stroked her hair. "Papika... Thank you."

"Mm..." Papika hummed against her, breath warm through Cocona's shirt. "Mine... My Mimi..."

"What?" The word tumbled from Cocona's lips. She put her hands on Papika's shoulders, forcing her to arm's length. "What did you say?"

"Mimi?" Papika blinked owlishly and then frowned. "No, that's not... Mimi?"

"Why do you keep calling me that? Answer me, Papika!" She gave her a shake. "Answer me!"

"Nn..." Papika rubbed her forehead. "Cocona... What's wrong?" She wiggled her shoulders. "You're hurting me."

Cocona dropped her arms. She swallowed, took a couple deep breaths to steady her voice. "Papika. When we just- What just happened... What did you mean by that?"

"Did I fall asleep?" Papika tipped her head to the side. "Huh? Cocona," she leaned in again, "were you crying?"

Cocona turned her head away and shoved Papika off her so she could stand up. "Don't you remember? Don't you remember what you said? What you did?"

"What...?" Papika stared up at her, eyes wide. "Cocona?"

"I need to go." Cocona stepped around Papika and set off down the junk-filled corridor. Flip Flap was too crowded, was too closely associated with Papika.

"Eh? W-wait!" There was a crash from behind her, then several smaller crashes and a few metallic clangs. Cocona ignored them and reached the elevator, stabbing the button with her finger. It dinged, and she waited, refusing to turn around.

Papika's hand closed around her wrist. "Cocona!"

"I said I need some space." She tugged her hand, but Papika held fast.

"Cocona, please, I don't know what you're talking about." Papika stepped in front of Cocona, trying to meet her eyes. Cocona dropped her gaze. "Please, Cocona, don't be mad at me. I don't know what I did!"

"How can you not know? You don't remember- any of that?" She didn't remember kissing Cocona? It hurt, despite the fact that Papika hadn't actually meant it.

"Uh-uh." Papika's voice wobbled, and she tightened her grip on Cocona's wrist. "I just woke up, Cocona, and I have a headache, and now you're mad at me."

"Look, Papika, I need some space. I need to think." It was hard to stay mad at Papika, and she didn't even want to be mad. It was just so tiring to finally realize her feelings for Papika and then learn that Papika was using her as a substitute for someone else.

"Can't you think here?" Papika begged.

She nearly relented, but memories of earlier, of her feelings being betrayed, held her back. "Papika," she said, forcing her voice to stay steady, "who is Mimi?"

"Mimi...?" Papika scrunched up her face in thought. "I don't know, I don't know, it hurts, Cocona, I don't understand."

Cocona pulled her hand away. "We'll talk later, okay?" She jabbed the elevator button again; the indicator showed it was only a floor away.

"But..." Papika whimpered. "But that doesn't matter. I don't know about Mimi, but I know that Cocona is Cocona, and you're really smart and always help me out, and I need your help, please, Cocona." She took Cocona's hand in both of hers, squeezing so tight that her nails dug into Cocona's skin. "I don't know what's going on or why you're mad or why my head hurts and I remember weird things. But- But Cocona is smart, so you'll help me, right?" By the end of her plea, tears were rolling down her face.

"Papika..." With her free arm, Cocona pulled Papika to her, letting her cry into her shoulder. It was uncomfortably like earlier, but Cocona pushed the thought away. Papika needed this support, and after all of the strength Cocona had drawn from Papika until now, it was time to be the strong one.

"It's all right, Papika. It's okay. I'm not mad anymore." And it was true. The fear and confusion she'd seen from Papika had been genuine. There was no way she could be upset when Papika was suffering even more than she was. "I'm here. You can cry as much as you need to. I'll never go away."

In answer, Papika clung to Cocona, her grip desperate as though afraid Cocona would disappear if she let go. She sobbed, her tears wetting Cocona's shirt. Papika's body shook, and Cocona simply held her, anchoring her. "I'm here, Papika. It's going to be okay. We'll figure this out. I won't leave you."

For the second time that day, Papika cried herself out. "Thanks, Cocona," she murmured, sniffling. She took one end of Cocona's scarf and blew her nose with it.

"Papika," Cocona sighed. "At least do that with your own uniform." She smiled in spite of herself. "Come on. Let's make you some tea, okay? You've cried so much, so you probably need something to drink."

"Okay," said Papika with a tired smile. "But, um, I should make the tea."

"I can at least do that much without causing any trouble," Cocona said. She brushed Papika's bangs away from her forehead and kissed her there. "Let me take care of you this time."

"Eh? Cocona?" Papika looked at her, mouth hanging open.

Cocona took Papika by the hand and led her down the hall. "Come on," she said over her shoulder. "Follow me."


End file.
